Ezra encouraged to reform the strange marriages, 1-5. Ezra assembles the people, 6-8. The people repent, and promise amendment, 9-14. The care to perform it, 15-17. The names of those who had married strange wives, 18-44.
1 Now when Ezra had prayed and when he had confessed, weeping and casting himself down before the house of God, there assembled to him out of Israel a very great congregation of men and women and children, for the people wept very bitterly. 2 And Shechaniah the son of Jehiel, one of the sons of Elam, answered and said to Ezra, "We have trespassed against our God and have taken foreign wives of the people of the land, yet now there is hope in Israel concerning this thing. 3 Now therefore, let us make a covenant with our God to put away all the wives and those who are born of them, according to the counsel of my lord and of those who tremble at the commandment of our God, and let it be done according to the law. 4 Arise, for this matter belongs to you. We also will be with you. Be of good courage, and do it."
5 Then Ezra arose and made the chief priests, the Levites, and all Israel to swear that they would do according to this word. And they swore. 6 Then Ezra arose from before the house of God and went into the chamber of Johanan the son of Eliashib. And when he came there, he ate no bread, nor drank water, for he mourned because of the transgression of those who had been carried away. 7 And they made proclamation throughout Judah and Jerusalem to all the children of the captivity, that they should assemble at Jerusalem, 8 And that whoever would not come within three days, according to the counsel of the princes and the elders, all his substance should be forfeited and he himself separated from the congregation of those who had been carried away.
9 Then all the men of Judah and Benjamin assembled at Jerusalem within three days. It was the ninth month, and the twentieth day of the month. And all the people sat in the street of the house of God, trembling because of this matter, and for the great rain. 10 And Ezra the priest stood up, and said to them, "You have transgressed and have taken foreign wives to increase the trespass of Israel. 11 Now therefore, make confession to the LORD God of your fathers and do his pleasure. And separate yourselves from the people of the land and from the foreign wives." 12 Then all the congregation answered and said with a loud voice, "As you have said, so we must do. 13 But the people are many, and it is a time of much rain, and we are not able to stand abroad, neither is this a work of one day or two, for we are many who have transgressed in this thing. 14 Now let our rulers of all the congregation stand, and let all those who have taken foreign wives in our cities come at appointed times, and with them the elders of every city and its judges, until the fierce wrath of our God for this matter is turned from us." 15 Only Jonathan the son of Asahel and Jahaziah the son of Tikvah were employed about this matter. And Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite helped them.
16 And the children of the captivity did so. And Ezra the priest, with certain heads of fathers' houses for each house of their fathers, all of them by their names, were separated and sat down on the first day of the tenth month to examine the matter. 17 And they finished with all the men who had taken foreign wives by the first day of the first month.
18 And among the sons of the priests there were found some who had taken foreign wives, namely, of the sons of Jeshua the son of Jozadak and his brothers: Maaseiah, Eliezer, Jarib, and Gedaliah. 19 And they gave their hands that they would put away their wives. And being guilty, they offered a ram of the flock for their trespass. 20 And of the sons of Immer: Hanani and Zebadiah. 21 And of the sons of Harim: Maaseiah, Elijah, Shemaiah, Jehiel, and Uzziah. 22 And of the sons of Pashur: Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethaneel, Jozabad, and Elasah.
23 Also of the Levites: Jozabad, Shimei, Kelaiah (the same is Kelita), Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer.
24 Of the singers: Eliashib. And of the gatekeepers: Shallum, Telem, and Uri.
25 Moreover, of Israel: of the sons of Parosh: Ramiah, Jeziah, Malchiah, Miamin, Eleazar, Malchijah, and Benaiah. 26 And of the sons of Elam: Mattaniah, Zechariah, Jehiel, Abdi, Jeremoth, and Eliah. 27 And of the sons of Zattu: Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, Jeremoth, Zabad, and Aziza. 28 Of the sons also of Bebai: Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai. 29 And of the sons of Bani: Meshullam, Malluch, Adaiah, Jashub, Sheal, and Ramoth. 30 And of the sons of Pahath-moab: Adna, Chelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezaleel, Binnui, and Manasseh. 31 And of the sons of Harim: Eliezer, Ishijah, Malchiah, Shemaiah, Shimeon, 32 Benjamin, Malluch, and Shemariah. 33 Of the sons of Hashum: Mattenai, Mattathah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, and Shimei. 34 Of the sons of Bani: Maadai, Amram, Uel, 35 Benaiah, Bedeiah, Chelluh, 36 Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib, 37 Mattaniah, Mattenai, Jaasau, 38 Bani, Binnui, Shimei, 39 Shelemiah, Nathan, Adaiah, 40 Machnadebai, Shashai, Sharai, 41 Azareel, Shelemiah, Shemariah, 42 Shallum, Amariah, and Joseph. 43 Of the sons of Nebo: Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jadau, Joel, and Benaiah. 44 All these had taken foreign wives, and some of them had wives by whom they had children.
Matthew Henry Commentary - Ezra, Chapter 10[➚]